This is one of my biggest gripes with BSS, every time I need to create a paragraph, I need to create a paragraph!
If I'm editing a paragraph and I press the Enter key, couldn't BSS be smart enough to automatically create a new paragraph for me?
Would also make it MUCH easier when cutting and pasting multiple paragraphs from another source. Now, when taking content from another site I have to do it one paragraph at a time, which is a real time killer.
It's not a word processor program, it's a drag/drop element program.
Saj
Thanks Saj,
Do you think your comment contributed to the discussion?
To create multiple paragraphs just drag in multiplie paragraph components. To help your workflow why not create some custom components then add to your library so that you can reuse.
Saj is right - this isn’t word but I do agree that having a better wysiwyg editor would be great and I for one hope it does improve soon.
Or why not a <br /> when pressing return key ? it's seems basic.
The return key is tied to activating the text box. In other words, closing the text box for editing and accepting what has been entered. If you start adding other functions to that key, then you will have to click outside the text box every time you want to accept the entries or changes. Come on guys, it's a no brainer really. Just mouse over the text box and in the little blue popup click the icon that stands for duplicate if you need a new paragraph etc.
Having said that here's the tip I offer for what I do to make it easier to make longer paragraphs without making new paragragh boxes for each one.
<br>
Now you have the ability to copy multiple paragraphs to a single text box and just drag the BR component where you want it to break it up. You can adjust them separately if you need more than one by either adding 2 of them side by side, or editing the code to put another one in the custom code for that spot.
Hope that helps.
P.S. Do the same for "nbsp" tags, but instead of putting them in there plain, add them between <span></span> tags in the custom code editor window.
Thank you Jo, that could be a useful tip.
I'm a full time programmer, part time web developer. BSS is a very powerful web development tool and I'm pretty sure the developer is capable of making many more modifications and additions to it, which is why I made the suggestion in the "Ideas" forum. (Which I presumed was for making suggestions to the developer for ways that the software might be improved). The fact that you've developed a workaround for the issue I raised, possibly supports my original idea.
The developer might be able to find another way of creating multiple paragraphs more easily - another keystroke besides the Enter key perhaps? - or it might not be possible. I don't know, I'm not the developer. ;-)
As a developer, I can say I always welcome ideas for improvements to my software. I never take them as criticism if they are presented politely and constructively. Users often have a different perspective to the developer and sometimes good ideas can be implemented simply, sometimes not so simply. As a developer, and user, I get annoyed when other users attack suggestions or disparage new ideas. 1. It pisses off users, and 2. It discourages users from participating in the development of MY product.
Hello,
A lot of software use Alt+Enter to make a new line when Enter is bound to 'Confirm'...
We actually fixed this some releases back. You can press Shift + Enter to insert a <br> tag.
Good to know, thanks Martin!
Just thought I'd poke in here and tell you that that keyboard shortcut Shift + Enter doesn't work for me on Mac. Doesn't do anything at all. Tried other combos in case something was missed in typing your post, but nothing else did it either.
@jo, not sure how you're going about it, but it works best for me if I type in the wording first then go back and then do the Shift+Enter. If I type and do Shift+Enter then type, I tend to be typing again positioned before the <br> tag instead of after the <br> where I would then be on a new line.
Saj
It isn't working for me at all before after or anywhere. When I hit Shift + Enter nothing happens.
Mac version here in case that matters - High Sierra 10.13.4
Ah ok, just wasn't sure. Nah I'm using Win10 so I can't say regarding Mac just thought I'd put that out there incase that's what was happening to you.
I do remember you having an issue long ago regarding copy/paste and you had a keyboard enhancement on and that was the issue with that. Wondering if you've check if that can be the case here too?
Saj
Ok it's working, but .... it's not working at the end of a paragraph at all for me, does nothing. I just put it in the middle of a paragraph and then it worked fine. I put it back to the end of the paragraph and nothing. Tried multiple paragraphs and same thing.
Just for measure (thanks Saj for mentioning this as you never know) I do have the text copying app turned off so that's not causing it. Also for good measure and feedback for those that may be using it or want to, I'm on a Mac, using the CopyLess 2 app for clipboard management, and the issue it was having is fixed (it was keeping me from being able to use the Linked Component setups). I can do the Linked Components now even with CopyLess 2 on, so I'm not sure who fixed it but THANK YOU whoever you are! :)
Just need the Shift+Enter to work at the end of paragraphs now on Mac. :)
P.S. Let me clarify something on this. If I highlight a paragraph and don't click to edit it, Shift+Enter will work and add the break after the paragraph. The issue I'm having is it will not add one within a paragraph on the end of it. Click to edit a paragraph, place mouse cursor at the end of paragraph, click Shift+Enter and ... nothing, and that's mostly where I use them these days. Having to manually drag it into place kind of defeats the purpose of having the key combo on this part :)
Does it not appear in the HTML pane in the app at the end of the paragraph? It does for me (I know Win/Mac) once I click away or hit Enter to complete editing. Then it will show in the HTML pane.
However, a "single" <br> does not effect anything like spacing at the end of the paragraph. They just don't work that way, you have to have more than one for something like that.
The app only allows making one <br> at the end of the paragraph (span as well) for me no matter if I click out, click back in and edit to add more, only 1 will appear. I can add as many as I want at the beginning and in between but not the end.
I think a confusing thing is that it seems the <br> is being inserted after the cursors position instead of before the cursors position so that continued typing will start on a new line.
I don't know, maybe it has something to do with only being able to add 1 to the end of the paragraph but for a Mac it doesn't even do that.
Saj
P.S. ok this weird. If I drag/drop a Paragraph and edit it. If I leave the word Paragraph in there and type at the end, then Shift+Enter, continue typing. I'll be typing before the <br> insertion. If I start typing before the word Paragraph and then Shift+Enter, I start typing on a new line like I would expect. If I clear everything out, type and then Shift+Enter I'm back to the issue of typing before the insertion. Maybe what might help is if they can insert a <br> icon character that only the editor uses for visual representation so you can place your cursor on either side of it to show if you're typing before or after the <br>.
Clicking away doesn't help anything show up at all, it's not actually inserting the line break at all. It will insert them "after" a paragraph, but not at the end of one within the edit area of the paragraph itself.
Also, adding 1 <br> "Does" affect the line the next item of text or image goes on, you don't need 2 for that. You only need 2 if you're trying to add a space "between" items vertically, but just making it go to the next line you only need 1.
I use them mostly because there's too much spacing between paragraphs. Much like the forums here when you type paragraphs the lines are closer together vertically (line height basically). But if you hit enter to go to the next line.....
You need to hit enter 2 times to get that space between them like I just did. I use the <br> to add things to the very next line to mimic it looking like it's spaced the same as the rest of the paragraph it's in. If I need more spacing between things I will usually revert to the CSS for that to add padding or margin instead of adding line breaks, or use Paragraphs or Headings that already have spacing built in.
Scenario 1 - <br /> inserted at the end of the paragraph.
<p>Paragraph<br /></p>
Scenario 2 - <br /> inserted after the paragraph.
<p>Paragraph</p><br />
Scenario 3 - <br /> inserted at the beginning of the paragraph.
<p><br />Paragraph</p>
Scenario 4 - <br /> inserted somewhere in the paragraph.
<p>Para<br />graph</p>
In Scenario 1 the Line Break does not effect what comes after the paragraph </p>, to add something after the Line Break like an image or more text is not putting the Line Break at the end of a paragraph. In this Scenario you can't get to the right hand side of the break in the app to add more content after it. Which is why I was saying to edit the paragraph with everything in it first then go back an add your line breaks then. This is why I was suggesting some sort of visual break character in the app that allows you to get on either side of it to continue with other edits.
In Scenario 2 the Line Break does effect what comes after it. Yet you can't add it without using the Custom Code block.
From our discussion, it sounds like Scenario 1 doesn't work on the Mac, but something like Scenario 3 and or 4 does.
Can you give an example like what I did if I'm still not understanding what's happening?
Saj
No need for more examples, you're exactly right. Number 1 is what I'm trying to do and isn't working at all, no break is being added at all (visual or not). Breaks show up if I do Numbers 3 or 4, and 3 is what I've been having to do by inserting it and then deleting what comes after it, or I drag it off the menu myself and insert it manually as I have up until now.
Sorry for replying so late. Adding <br> to the end of paragraphs is a known issue. Unfortunately this is caused by the way contenteditable works, and it can't be worked around without ugly hacks. I am adding it to our todo so that we develop some kind of solution for this in the upcoming releases.